


The Ironpack

by gilithan



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dwarf Aaron, Human Robert, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 18:12:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17166842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gilithan/pseuds/gilithan
Summary: Started from an idea I had from a tumblr post, basically Robert is the son of the late Mayor of this mining town that the Dingle dwarves have since made their home, now he's back with the Kingdom's Queen Regent, Chrissie, and wants to gain her favour. Plot and shenanigans ensues. Should be fun.





	1. Chapter 1

               As much as he tried to keep his composure, Robert couldn’t help a smirk as he rode into Emmerdale. It wasn’t just the feeling of being in control of a powerful animal, or the knowledge that a long ride was over. No, it was so much more than that. It was the looks on the villagers’ faces as they recognised him.

               It had been a while since he had left the mining town, a long while, and while the town had remained almost exactly the same, he had changed so much. People still recognised him eventually though, he had been pretty well-known in the town before his departure. A part of him had hoped it would take longer, that he had changed too much. But for the villagers all it took was one look at the smug grin on his face to know who it was.

               There was a group, however, who did not recognise him. They had moved into town after he had left and made it their home, to the point where the basically owned the village in everything but name. The Dingle dwarves hadn’t wasted any time getting set up in the village when they arrived ten years ago after the King had made a deal with the Dwarf Lords. The deal allowed Dwarves to spread beyond the Mountains they had mined clean, while allowing the Human Kingdom to benefit from their superior mining techniques. However, Emmerdale was still own, officially, by Mayor Jack Sugden. That was, until his death 3 years ago.

               Usually the titles would pass to the eldest son, but Sugden’s son Robert, had left and couldn’t be found. The village initially turned to Andy, Sugden’s ward, to lead, but this led to neighbouring nobles to disrespect Emmerdale, and they even turned to thoughts of wedding Sugden’s wife Diane or daughter Victoria in hopes of expanding their territory.

               The Dingles stepped in however, and after a few… conversations, the neighbouring powers left Emmerdale alone. So from then on the Dingles led the village. They couldn’t do anything official but being the smallest and most distant mining village in the Kingdom there was not much call for bureaucracy.

               So for all Aaron Dingle knew, this man riding into town was nothing more than some half-noble bastard riding through on his way for some event. If it wasn’t for the reactions of the human visitors, he would’ve never suspected anything more than that.

               “Oi!” He called over to his uncle, “Who’d you think that is, then?”

               Cain shrugged, “Doesn’t matter. Might as well be the King himself, we still need to get this furnace going.”

               Aaron sighed and got to work, so much for a welcome distraction.

               “What? Disappointed he’s not some noble prince come to whisk you away?” Adam laughed, noticing him sigh.

               Adam came from another new family in Emmerdale, the Bartons, humans who had been invited by Andy to help with the local farm after Jack’s death. Adam, however, had been much more interested in the mine. He and Aaron had become friends, he wasn’t a bad worker, for a human.

               “Shut up,” Aaron replied.

               They all turned to get back to work, but Robert wasn’t the only visitor today, and a large carriage complete with a full regiment of guards followed. Even Cain stopped working at that sight.

               “Do you know what’s happening?” Aaron asked him

               “Get the furnace going,” Cain replied, and jogged off towards the tavern

               Aaron turned to Adam, but Adam interrupted before he could say anything, “Yeah, yeah I’ll get it going, you go.”

               Aaron thanked him with a nod and went jogging off after Cain.

               There is no official town hall in Emmerdale, apart from the tavern, the Ironpack. It was originally built as a hall, but when the Dingles moved in before they did anything with the mine they insisted on setting up a tavern. Since there was no Mayor to use the hall it just made sense.

               The horses and carriage made it to the Ironpack first. Chas Dingle and Diane burst through door, hearing them ride up. Chas, who ran the tavern, looked up at the guard with the fanciest armour, “What exactly is going on here?”

               The guard spoke without making eye contact, “Presenting Her Majesty, Queen Regent Chrissie White”

               “You’re joking!” Diane said

               But as she stepped out of the carriage there was no mistaking who it was. Only a member of the royal family would arrive at a mining town in a purple and gold gown. Another woman stepped out of the carriage to help her keep her skirts out of the mud. “Well,” She began, not even looking at the two women in front of her, “I didn’t expect a castle but… a tavern? That’s certainly an interesting choice”

               “It is customary to bow when presented with a member of the Royal family,” The guard captain spat at Diane and Chas

               “Oh, Graham, give them some slack,” Chrissie laughed, though she smirked at their shocked attempts at bows, “we didn’t exactly send word ahead or our visit”

               “It would ruin the surprise,” said Robert, dismounting and walking around the carriage

               “Robert?” Diane’s eyes grew even wider

               “Hello Diane”

               “Did someone just say…” a young woman poked here head out the door of the tavern, “Robert!” She ran out towards him, arms outstretched, but the guard captain shifted his horse in between them and she almost fell backwards.

               Diane grabbed her and pulled her close.

               “It’s okay Graham,” Robert held his hand up, “hello Victoria”

               “Robert where have you been?” Victoria asked

               “I can explain everything”

               “Yes but there’ll be time for that later,” Chrissie interrupted, “I’d like to get inside before the mud completely ruins my shoes”

               “Oh, right,” Chas shuffled, she wasn’t used to hosting royalty, “shall I fetch you a drink?”

               Chrissie laughed again, “Ah no, I’ll be fine, thank you. However, I am in need of a _town hall_ , do you know where I could find one?”

               “Ah, right,” Diane glanced at Chas, “well, we’ve been using it as a tavern you see. Uh, your majesty”

               “Well that’s no good, we’ll have to make some room then”

               Chas opened her mouth to protest but Diane stepped on her foot, “Of course your majesty, give us a sec and we’ll have something ready for you”

               “Oh, there’s no need for that”

               Diane and Chas sighed in relief

               Chrissie turned to her guards, “Make us some room.”

               Graham nodded and barked some orders at his men who all but charged inside the Tavern. Moments later several patrons, both human and dwarf exited in a hurry and then were closely followed by chairs, tables, and the occasionally barrel being thrown through the door with little care.

               This was the sight Cain and Aaron arrived to. “Oi! What do you think you’re doing?” Cain shouted, charging towards the tavern

               “Cain, don’t!” Chas yelled but it was too late and soon Graham had Cain against the wall, a blade at his throat

               “Get off him!” Aaron tried to grab him, but a hand grabbed his shoulder and threw him back, sending him sprawling in the mud. He tried to get up but was greeted with the sight of a sword tip pointed at him.

               “Robert, what do you think you’re doing?” Victoria cried

               “Well, this is the Dingle clan then?” Robert smirked, staring down at Aaron who was glaring back, “I thought you’d be more dignified than this, or at least put up a better fight.”

               “Oh yeah? Why don’t you drop the sword and I’ll show you how we fight?” Arron shot back

               “Leave it, Aaron,” Chas warned

               “Oh, come on Robert, Graham, let them go,” Chrissie sighed, “you can measure swords later”

               “They tried to assault a Captain of the guard,” Graham replied

               “They were defending their home, Captain,” Chas argued, respectful but with something fierce in her voice, “they weren’t to know.”

               Graham let Cain go, but didn’t take his eyes off of his. Robert sheathed his sword and bent down to give Aaron a hand. Aaron didn’t take it.

               The guards exited the tavern and had some quiet words with Graham. “The hall is ready, your Majesty,” Graham said.

               Chrissie nodded and walked in. Robert stood for a moment, smirking at Aaron.

               “Robert?” Chrissie called, and he quickly followed her, followed by Graham.

               “Who the hell was that?” Cain asked

               “Our benevolent Queen,” Chas replied

               “And Robert, my brother,” Victoria added

               “You don’t mean”- Aaron started

               “Jack’s son,” Diane interrupted, “the rightful owner of the whole village.”

               They all stood shocked. Except Aaron, “What an arse.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter cause of less world-building, and it's also more setting up for later longer chapters

               “Don’t you think that was a bit much?” Robert asked

               “What do you mean?” Chrissie replied

               “Trashing the place? They were going to make room?”

               “Oh, it was a show of power, nothing more. No one got hurt.” She looked at Robert coyly, “You aren’t angry with me, are you?”

               “Of course not,” Robert smirked back, “just amazed you can still surprise me”

               Chrissie’s grin widened, “You’ll soon learn I’m full of surprises”

               Robert laughed, but didn’t take the bait. “Well, you certainly made a first impression”

               “Of course, it’s been about 70 years since a monarch set foot in this… _village_ , I had to give them a reminder.” She looked Robert over analytically, “And what about you, what kind of impression do you think you made?”

               “Prodigal son returns?”

               “Ha! Hardly, if they weren’t so stunned to see you alive they might have throttled you there and then.” She paused, “The Dingles may be an issue”

               “They won’t be, I promise. They’ll learn their place”

               “They had better,” Chrissie replied, her smile slipping away, “things have to go perfectly here Robert, no slip ups”

               “Yes, your Majesty,” Robert bowed, still burning at how quickly she can turn a conversation

               “Good,” Chrissie rose from her seat and placed her hand on his cheek, “just a little bit longer, I promise. And then, and then everything will be perfect.”

               She snatched her hand away suddenly as Graham entered the room, who pretended not to see as he waited to be addressed.

               “What is it?”

               “The rooms have been prepared, your majesty, you quarters are waiting”

               “Thank you,” She walked halfway through the door before stopping, “what of Lachlan? Why hasn’t he arrived yet”

               Graham shuffled uncomfortably, “The Prince split from our cohort less than half a day ago, with the standard three-man guard.” Graham sighed, “They lost him in the woods just south of here”

               “They… lost him?” Chrissie spoke through clenched teeth

               “He rode into the woods ahead of the guard, they recovered his horse, he had taken his gear”

               Chrissie groaned, then glared at Graham, “You promised me this wouldn’t happen again”

               “He wants some time alone,” Robert laughed, “you know what he’s like if he wants something he’ll get”

               “Oh, and you know what it’s like to be a prince, do you?” Chrissie all but yelled back

               “No, your majesty,” Robert bowed again.

…

               “Geez there’s some shouting going on in there,” Chas couldn’t help but smirk at Robert’s expense

               “What’s he even doing with her?” Victoria asked

               “Begging at the master’s feet I imagine,” Cain replied

               “We all thought he’d died,” Diane was still in shock.

               Never one to be knocked down and stay down the Dingles had gotten to work as soon as the Royals had entered the once-tavern. Cain had taken down the Ironpack sign at set it against the wall of the family home. Chas, Victoria, and Lisa, the matriarch of the Dingles, had sown several seats together and set up a tent where they could still serve customers. Most of the furniture had gone unscathed in the clean-out, and the ones that hadn’t were now being tended to by Cain. Aaron was resting on one of the barrels, holding a wet cloth against a bump on his head from when he had fell.

               He quickly threw it aside, however, when Robert came striding towards them, a young guard following him. Cain was first to jump up though, “So what do you want this time, the shirt off our backs?”

               Robert raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down, “I think I’ll be fine thanks, and is that anyway to address your Mayor?”

               “You may be some man’s son, or at very least look like him, but that doesn’t make you royalty. And it doesn’t buy you one second of my time,” Cain replied

               “Robert,” Diane interrupted. She started her sentence several times in different ways before she could finally speak, “Where have you been?”

               Robert shifted his feet, “I’m back, that’s all that matters”

               “Yeah, ten years later,” Victoria added

               “Regardless of how or why, I’m here, and I’m Jack’s only son. Which means this land, and everything on it, is mine”

               That earnt a judging stare from all of them, even Diane.

               “Now, I’d like to see the mine, I imagine it’s changed a bit since I worked it. Or do you lot spend all your time in bars?”

               Cain sighed, “Aaron knows the mine best”

               Aaron made a shocked face, but Chas spoke first, “Are you sure that’s _wise_?” She asked, making faces at Cain

               Robert ignored them, “Really?” He gave Aaron another judging look, “If you say so, lead the way.”

               With one last glare at Cain, and another harsher one at Robert as he all but pushed past, Aaron trudged towards the mine.

               “What’d you go and do that for?” Chas slapped Cain with the cloth, “What if they get in another scuffle and Aaron ends up with sword in his stomach?”

               “Give him some credit,” Cain replied, “the lad knows when to pick a fight and when not to.” Though as he got back to work, Cain wasn’t sure even he believed that.


End file.
